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Tacti-Cool Zombie Apocalypse Arsenal (Canada Version)
Hey peeps, this is Smiling Wolf - I'm the admin of the''' Last Stand Wiki' and I also love PMG; I use it all the time and when I found this place, I thought I'd drop by and contribute some of my creations! Being a Last Stand fan also, I've been thinking about what kind of cool weaponry I would like to scavenge if ZSHTF should happen. So here are some of my choices for either my backpack or my underground shelter, should they be available to me. Feel free to add your personal opinions and suggestions for the arsenal in the comments. 'Note: I am not a gun owner; the stuff written here is purely conjecture, and though I might not cover all points, my opinions are all derived from good research.' FN SCAR Mk. 17 Of all the modern military small arms available today, the '''SCAR-H' (for the moment) would be my top choice of survival rifle; should I live in a "perfect" world and the undead apocalypse were to ever occur while I'm in North America. Yes, I know: it's an MW2 gun, but unlike the MWtards out there I have real reasons for desiring it, and reasons for why it's not practical; both sides which apply to me and you - the lowly survivor. 'Setup' I don't expect to have all the "gizmos" on board when I pry one of these out of the cold, dead hands of a Green Beret or Navy SEAL, but I can hope to have at least a few basic accessories, such as a scope of some kind (if with batteries, something that will last very, very long), a sling, a good flash hider or muzzle comp, and maybe a vertical foregrip; like the setups I've got depicted above. Any barrel length my gun comes with will be fine (as long as it's not damaged or bent), but I would prefer a safe/semi trigger group like on the civilian 17S version - less temptation for me or another survivor to spray and waste ammo. 'Advantages' ''Common Ammo My main reason for choosing this particular SCAR model is this: research has yielded that not only does the SCAR-H (or "Mk. 17") fire the 7.62mm NATO cartridge used by most western militaries; it is also compatible with the popular .308 (Winchester or otherwise) round used in many hunting rifles; meaning abandoned military bases/outposts don't have to be my sole means of replenishment. This is a serious plus, considering that most other military rifles (even semi-auto civilian models) chamber ammo types that you won't find on the average (dead) gun owner's shelf. So for those of you who dig your AKs and M4s, and find yourself running low; good luck getting spare rounds for the things when you're stuck in the middle of suburban America. Reliability According to many articles and vids I've seen, the SCAR series is reputed to be very reliable: in combat, competitions, and shooting classes, in all sorts of environments, even after thousands of rounds fired. I've even heard that the guns are self-cleaning - the internals supposedly stay pretty spic even after a couple of hundred rounds, meaning maintenance shouldn't be too tasking. The few failures that ''have been reported are mostly due to bad ammunition or old magazines, and human error in regards to the charging handle (which we'll cover later). Provided I take care of it occasionally (like any firearm), all this means my SCAR will probably last me for life. And if there's suddenly a situation that requires me to dump out a few mags so as to protect me or my loved ones, I'll know I can trust it to take care of business - it was made for the Special Forces, afterall! ''Versatility Unlike older battle rifles like the G3, FAL and M14, the SCAR-H (the SCAR-L too) was intended to be highly modular right out of the box: there are an assortment of detachable barrel lengths available, and it has integrated picatinny rails for mounting accessories. Combined with its comparitively lower recoil, lighter weight and better ergos, what I get is a battle rifle that I can be nimble with outside and indoors; something that's accurate and fires ammunition that can hit hard and hit anything from close to long range; offers good firepower, and can be kitted up any way I want. What more could I ask for in a survival rifle? Simplicity It might just be me, but I believe that if you don't allow yourself to be intimidated by all the buttons and switches, the SCAR's basic manual of arms can be simple to understand; there are only a few features one needs to focus on to to get the weapon running, and if I suddenly have to teach a novice shooter, it'll be a lot less perplexing to train with than other high-end military rifles (such as the AR-15s). The reciprocating charging handle is the key to this simplicity; because it's easy to manipulate and first-time shooters will grasp its purpose immediately, especially when they can see it move each time the gun fires. Learning the loading procedure would then be easy - almost like that of an AK. After that, it's an easy transition into learning other aspects of the rifle. Ease of Carry/Storage The gun has a versatile adjustable/folding stock, making it a perfect weapon to easily stow in your backpack or vehicle, and makes it less obtrusive when slung around your torso. You'd probably not want to shoot the thing with the stock folded, but it is otherwise a great feature to have when you're on the move and encounter environments where you don't want a long rifle getting in the way. 'Disadvantages' The Charging Handle Having the thumb of your support hand slammed by the SCAR's reciprocating charging handle apparently hurts - there's pics and articles floating around out there telling of swollen digits to testify to that fact. Proper hand placement is thus very important on this weapon, and will take training, but under stress it'll be easy to forget such technicalities and before you know it, you've not only got some flesh painfully caught in a mechanical device, you've most likely caused your SCAR to malfunction. Not good when you got a bunch of diseased uglies rushing at you. This is only a minor ding for the gun, however, for the simple addition of a VFG or switching the charging handle to your firing hand side will keep your thumb safe and out of the way... though you'll still have to deal with the fact that there is a moving piece of metal/polymer sticking out that might catch on something in the environment. The Shoulder Stock The stock that comes standard with the SCAR is reportedly rickity and known to break in certain places. Opinions have varied, however, but I'm putting this here as another minor ding for the rifle. Scarce Parts/Accessories The SCAR series uses a lot of proprietary parts that are A) manufactured in Belgium and a single plant somewhere in the U.S. (as of 2012), and B) are pretty much sent mostly to Fort Bragg or wherever else SOF guys use these guns. In the midst of the undead apocalypse, where scarcity is a constant enemy, this means that repairing this rifle will be impossible should any aspect of it ever break... unless you happen to live near the factories, people, or military bases in question. Scarce Magazines Biggest turnoff of the SCAR-H by far is that magazines are 'very, very hard to find' - they're proprietary (like everything else on the rifle), highly coveted by "17S" owners in the civilian "tacti-cool" community - a '~$3000 gun' which comes with only 'one magazine '''-'' ''and thus disappear fast whenever any available surpluses are announced. The military is most likely hording the supply, but as to the location of their stores and the units using them, it is anyone's guess. For us survivors, this means that if you are a SCAR-H owner, and ever have the misfortune of losing, breaking, or wearing out the (likely) one magazine that you own, prepare to be stuck with a high-end single-shot rifle for the unforeseeable future. This also means that your SCAR-H is generally (and quite ironically) not great for prolonged battles, be they against other armed survivors or an undead horde. ''Rarity As mentioned before, the gun was made for Special Forces guys, so unless one of these dudes happens to perish in front of my house, and happened to decide that he'd carry a SCAR-H before he does, the chances of me (or you) acquiring this rifle with all the trimmings are ''way below nil. I could try and get a "17S" model from a gun store, but with it's hefty price tag already scaring away most prospective buyers, there probably won't be many (or any!) in stock. Even if there is one, I'll still have to get past all the other desperate souls wanting firepower themselves. Then there's also the fact that I live in Canada. Enough said. 'Conclusion' The SCAR-H being such a well-conceived, versatile and heavy hitting tactical rifle with unique looks, it's a shame that it's so exclusive to those with deep wallets and/or elite shoulder patches; otherwise, this would be the gun I'd want to carry against the Zed hordes, if I could carry only one. Unfortunately, given how difficult it is to find extra magazines for the darn thing, on top of the gun being terribly expensive and hard enough to find already (at least here in Canada), I'm not going to go out of my way and scour the continent for one of these. And so my 28 Weeks Later/Modern Warfare fantasies end here, I'm afraid... but I can sleep better now, knowing that I have at least found a place to put them to rest. Colt Canada C7A2 (WiP) {C}As a resident of that big friendly nation up north, the C7A2 is my more feasible choice of tactical survival rifle; a very versatile M16 clone with features that long preceded what you boys and girls in the U.S. eventually copied: such as a stiff cold-hammered forged barrel; a flattop rail receiver w/ removal carrying handle; picatinny/weaver mounting points and ambi-controls. This model is currently the CDND's standard service rifle. 'Setup' There's not much choice in terms of setup, unfortunately, given what you have to work with straight from the factory; the standard for most Canadian soldiers is usually a bulky rubber ELCAN scope mounted onto the receiver - the new PMG didn't have the specific ELCAN model listed, so I mounted the closest (and most preferred) option. I've also seen other variations with a rail beneath the handguard for a folding VFG, and EOTechs w/ or w/o BUIS in place of the ELCAN, which I've tried to simulate here as well. Then there's the tiny sections of pic-rails below the front sight, where I would most likely attach some kind of flashlight. I would want to vary up the scopes a bit depending on the situation, and (like all assault rifles) swap out the trigger group for a safe/semi match-grade model, but otherwise there's not much else one can do to accessorize this gun - what you see is what you get. 'Advantages' ''Availability Depending on where you live in Canada, there's a good chance that there will be at least one Army Reserve regiment somewhere near your area. There are dozens of such units in our country operating close to the cities, which (fortunately for us) means that wherever there's a base full of weekend soldiers, there's likely a ready cache of military weaponry close by; waiting to be liberated. Factor in the typical scenario of martial law, and a vast horde of Zed turning it to shnitz, the chances of picking up a C7 in the field or elsewhere - with parts, accessories, ammo, etc. - seem pretty good. In my case, grabbing one for myself shouldn't be a problem in that there are several reserve units who have HQ's directly in my city, ready to deploy at a moment's notice and each with a vault full of small arms at their fingertips; something I will gladly try and take advantage of should the chaos of ZSHTF ensue. Versatility The C7A2 appears to be a decent compromise between a full-length assault rifle and a tactical carbine; it has a long barrel for accurate shooting at long range, and an adjustable buttstock that makes maneuvering said barrel a little easier in tight spots, and help the gun be more accommodating for people of varying body types. There's also a set of three short pic-rails below the front sight for mounting lights/lasers, and atop the receiver for all sorts of scopes. Then there's the ambi mag-release and The overall package is pretty basic for an assault rifle, but will nonetheless meet the needs of most survivors looking for a flexible, accurate and lightweight firearm that offers great firepower. Parts Availability/Commonality One of the great things about AR-15 rifles (the C7 being among them) is their parts interchangeability, and thanks largely to the U.S., they're pretty common in North America - the guns are used by pretty much everyone, even here in Canada; from law enforcement, to civilian collectors, to the military. This means parts should be fairly easy to come by when the hordes hit the street and everyone is forced to come out with their issued or personal arsenals - you're bound to find an AR-15 type rifle by this point that you can pry off an unfortunate cadaver or swipe from a cabinet or shelf, and possibly cannabilize for your C7. There is also a vast modicum of aftermarket products that can easily be slapped onto the weapon for further enhancements; provided you can find them of course. Granted, quality may vary depending on the make and brand these parts come from, but with an adequate stash and a good sense of discipline, the C7 can probably run for a long time. Common Magazines Like all AR-15s, the C7A2 accepts all STANAG pattern magazines, which you can expect to find in abundance (abandoned or otherwise) from LE and the military, and from a variety of manufacturers. You may even be able to scrounge some from a gun store, though in Canada these tend to be the 5 to 10-round tiny or factory-reduced crap (the latter of which ''can be re-altered to original spec., though maybe with some difficulty). Nonetheless, having plenty of spare mags means you can keep your C7 in the fight for a while, and plenty of spare parts should any mag break or wear out. 'Disadvantages' ''Maintenance The nature of the C7's operating system (direct-gas impingement, used in a majority of AR-15s) means maintenance can be quite a chore; to describe in brief, the weapon works by having the hot gasses of a discharged round blown back into the breech via a narrow tube above the barrel, cycling all the operating parts. While this design makes the weapon's gas system simple and reduces the weapon's overall weight, it also creates a lot of powder residue and gunk that settles in many areas inside the rifle. If neglected, this stuff can cause the weapon to malfunction. While the C7 is by no means a maintenance whore, this gunk buildup does mean it will require some more detailed attention than other weapon systems. Most survivors who have never picked up a gun before may not be aware of this issue, which can lead to deadly consequences. Scarce Ammunition If the military really did try to do its job against the hordes, then 5.56 ammo should be pretty scarce post-outbreak; thousands of rounds dumped off in desperation, carried off by fleeing troops or stolen by countless other scavengers - whatever the case, chances are that without a very exhaustive search there won't be much left behind to grab for your C7. Another problem is that here in Canada there aren't that many civilian AR-15 owners (or stores that sell these guns) to justify having 5.56mm in large stocks for civilians to buy, so survivors will be hard pressed to conserve ammo when living up here. I know that civilian .223 ammo can probably work in the C7A2, though because of the barrel's fast 1:7 twist rate (designed to stabilize the heavier 5.56 bullet) results may vary depending on the cartridge brand - from the bullet fragmenting and clogging the barrel to poor accuracy at long distances. Still researching this one, since there's a lot of debate on this issue. Ergonomic Tradeoffs '' While the adjustable stock does solve some of the basic ergonomic issues of the original C7A1, when you consider all the metal that's still up front, what you get is a rather front-heavy rifle - a particular hindrance for any survivors with short arms, made even worse by any added attachments. The long barrel, while less of an inconvenience thanks to the same stock, still poses some problems in CQB when you consider the nature of your enemy - who is generally mindless, aggressive, and will want to engage you hand-to-hand. A long, heavy 20" barrel is therefore not the slickest of options when exploring those tight dark corridors: giving the undead more to grab onto and drag into their waiting, rotting jaws! ''Limited Modularity Personally I really don't dig the rails on the forend of the default rifle: called the "TRI-AD", it is the CDND's low-cost solution for adding some modularity to the old C7A1s, which IMHO makes the controls of any lights or lasers mounted there (especially those w/o an external pad switch) more difficult to reach, not to mention make the rifle more front-heavy (if it isn't already). Troops apparently don't like it much either, with some having even opted to remove it completely. Then there's the rail space on the receiver, which while adequate provides limited real estate to attach red-dot optics (typically more effective when mounted forward) or long scopes. Poor Quality Accessories Aside from the removable carrying handle, the C7A2 also comes with an optional detachable backup rear sight; which is designed to fit in front of the standard ELCAN C79 scope, but is reportedly made out of cheap plastic and known to break. The ELCAN sight itself is reportedly not great either - while it provides a good sight picture, the mount is heavy ''and fragile when submitted to rough impacts and exposed to the elements. Then there's the sight's rubber housing which, while rugged, has backup rear and front sights molded in on top that can be rubbed away over time - not great when you consider the overall size of this scope, and the limited rail space on the receiver for proper BUIS. Surely these are minor dings as you can easily do away with these accessories if you wish, but given that these are standard issue one has to expect better gear for one's soldiers, especially in a nation like ours - and most especially if they need to face a threat as vast and daunting as an undead plague! 'Conclusion' It's not the most innovative nor the most "tacti-cool" of assault rifle designs, but the C7A2 being the common workhorse for the Canadian infantry, it won't hurt to try and grab one of these for one's post-apocalyptic arsenal - a veritable low-cost "Swiss Army Knife" in rifle form that has just enough features to get the job done, yet still have the potential to be something more, should you have the time and resources to invest in it. Highly recommended to all survivors. Colt Canada C8A2 (coming soon) H&K MP5 (coming soon) I can't forget the MP5, (...) Glock 17 (coming soon)